Improvement in mowers



2Sheets-Sheet1. E. F. HERRINGTON.

MOWER. No.175,091. Patentd March 21,1876.

mmmummmimm UNITED STATES PATENT IMPROVEMENTJN M'owERs.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 175,091, dated March 21, 1876; application filed July 11,1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EPHRAIM F. Hnnurue- TON, of \Vest Hoosick, in the county of Rensselaer and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Har= vesters, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings which make part of this specification, and in which- Fignre 1 represents a plan view of so much of a mowing-machine, embodying my improve.- ments in the best way now known to me, as is necessary to illustrate the subicct-matterherein claimed, Fig. 2 represents a vertical section therethrouglr on the line 00 as of Fig. 1. Fig. 25 represents a longitudinal vertical section through the counter'shaft on the line 3 y of Fig. 1, showing certain details of the gearing. Fig. 4 is a detail view, showing the method of connecting the coupling-arm and thrust-bar. Fig. 5 is a view showing the details of the pitman-holder and guide.

My invention relates to the shipping-clutch on the counter-shaft; to the connection of the crankshaft with the counter-shaft; to the method of forming the thrust-bar and shoe; to the method of interlocking the coupling-arm and thrust-bar, and to the swinging clip, pitman-guide and holder.

The subject-matter claimed is hereinafter specified. The'part-s of the machine not hereinafter specifically described are of well-known forms-of construction common in hinge-joint harvesters.

Two driving-wheels, A A, turn freely on an axle, B, with which they are connected by the usual backing-ratchets. Aframe, G, is pivoted on this axle, provided with a tongue, D, and supports a seat, E, for the driver. Arms G 0 projecting from the frame afford hearings in which a connter shaft, F, turns. .An internal spur-wheel, Gr, fixed on the main axle B, drives a corresponding pinion, G, Fig. 3, on a sleeve, H, through which the counter-shaft passes, and in which it turns freely, the sleeve itself also revolving in its hearing iuthe arm 0 The inner end of this sleeve is provided with a clutch interlockingwith a corresponding one on a collar, H, capable of sliding freely endwise on and of turning with the counter-shaft, being connected therewith by the usual groove on the sleeve.

and pin. A crank-arm, I, mounted on abracket on the frame throws the clutch into and out of gear. When out of gear the sleeve H alone turns, while the counter-shaft remains stationary. When in gear both counter-shaft and sleeve turn together. The other end of the counter-shaft turns in a box in the arm C and carries a bet'chwheel, J, which is fast thereon and gears into a corresponding pinion,j,on a

crank-shaft, L, from which the cutters are driveirby a crank and pitman, as usual. A shoulder is formed on the box so as to form a projecting collar, 0, Fig.3, on which an arm, is, swings. The outer end of this arm forms a bearin g in which. the thrust-bar or sleeve M, in which the crank-shaft turns, is mounted, a neckbeing formed upon the sleeve so as to form a flange,m, on its end, which constitutes a stop, and thus prevent the sleeve from being drawn out of its bearing, while leaving it free to turn. This is quite important, as the tubular sleeve or thrust-bar is cast with or forms part of the usual shoe N to which the fingerbeam 0 is secured, and consequently the shoe should be free both to rise and fall and to turn thrust'har or sleeve at the lower or forward end of the neck provides a thrust-bearing against the end of the arm k and prevents a backward or endwise movement of the bar in its hearing, which is made in sections detachably united by bolts or screws, (see Figs. 2 and 3,) to admit of the insertion and removal of the bar. The coupling-arm P is pin-jointed at its rear end to a down-hanger from the arm 0 of the frame, while its forward end is connected with thesleeve M by means of an eye on the coupling-arm, which slips over the sleeve. In order to lock these parts securely together while permitting them to flex freely, and to render them easily detachable, a stud, ml is formed on the sleeve, and a corresponding notch, 19, Fig. 4, is made in the coupling-arm, the relation being such that these only coincide when the finger-beam is turned down to an unusual position, so that the sleeve and coupling-arm may not become disconnected in the ordinary working of the machine. When the stud and notch coincide the coupling-arm is slipped on the sleeve and locked there by turning the latter until the stud passes in front of the solid The shoulder formed on the part of the coupling-arm, when the couplingarm and sleeve or thrust-bar will besecurely locked together while free to flex as required. The fin ger-beam and coupling-frame are raised by the usual lifting-chain and lever Q. Ordinarily the inner end of the finger'beam wouldbe first lifted until the heel struck a stop-on the coupling-frame, when both ends would rise.

In order to lift the outer end first, when de- It will thus be seen that the location of this detent on the coupling-frame is essential.

The leading-wheel S is mounted in a bracket pivoted on the toe of the shoe. so as to allow it to turn (see dotted lines, Fig. 1) to follow changes in the line of draft.

In order readily to connect and disconnect the pitman and sickle, a hook on the former is inserted in an eye in the latter, the two working between a guide, T, and a holder, V. This holder turns on a fulcrum, 1), (when the leading-wheel is turned out of the way,) to allow the pitman to be removed or replaced, but or-- dinarilyis held fast by a spring-stop, a, taking into anotch in the holder.

The operation of my improved devices will be apparent from the foregoing description.

I claim as of my own invention-' 1. The sleeve H, constructed as described, turning freely on the counter shaft and in its bearings in the mainframe arm, but, having no endwise movement, andcarrying a pinion at one end and a clutch atthe other, in combination with the interlocking sliding clutchcollar H, turning with the counter-shaft, the crank-arm I, and the pinion J fast on the counter-shaft, as set forth.

2. The arm is, constructed as described, in

combination with the main-frame arm 0 through which the counter-shaft'passes, its

collar 0, on which the arm k swings, the tubular sleeve or thrust-bar M through which the crank-shaft passes, swiveled at its rear end in the arm 70, and the hinged coupling-arm P interlocking with the thrust-bar, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The shoe and tubular thrust-bar and crankshaft sleeve constructed in one piece, having a neck and stop formed at the upper end, and swiveled in the swinging arm 70, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination of the tubular sleeve or thrust-bar and coupling-arm,provided with an interlocking notch and stud, substantially as Witnesses:

J os. T. K. PLANT, CHARLES F. PLANT. 

